The Legend of the Condor Heroes
The Legend of the Condor Heroes was Wuxia Writer Jin Yong's third novel. Written in 1957, it was originally published in the Hong Kong Commercial Daily newspaper. Synopsis The story is set in the Southern Song Dynasty at the beginning of the Jurchen Invasion of China. The first part of the novel revolves around the friendship of two men, Yang Tiexin (楊鐵心) and Guo Xiaotian (郭嘯天) who fought against the invading Jin soldiers. The bond between the two was so deep that they swore to each other when their children were born, they would become sworn siblings if they were the same gender or be married if one was a boy and one was a girl. Yang Tiexin married Bao Xiruo (包惜弱) while Guo Xiaotian settled down with Li Ping (李萍). With both their wives pregnant, Guo Xiaotian and Yang Tiexin met a Taoist, Qiu Chuji (丘處機) who helped them name their two sons. Jingkang (靖康) was the era name of Emperor Qinzong, who was abducted, along with his father, by the invading Jin soldiers in 1127, ending the Northern Song Dynasty. Qiu Chuji wanted the children to remember this national embarrassment (靖康之耻), and hopefully help restore glory to their country and defeat the Jin when they grow up. When the Jin soldiers invaded Northern Song, Yang Tiexin and Guo Xiaotian joined the citizens and fought them. Wanyan Honglie (完顏洪烈), a prince of Jin, after narrowly escaping death, is saved by Yang Tiexin's wife, Bao Xiruo. Enchanted by her beauty, Wanyan Honglie later returned and ordered her family to be murdered and took her back to his kingdom. Bao Xiruo, believing her husband was dead, married Wanyan Honglie as a form of gratitude for saving her was her savior. After marriage however, she did not live with him in the palace, she chose instead to live alone in a simple cottage. Her son, Yang Kang grew up in the palace and was treated by Wanyan Honglie like his own flesh and blood. Meanwhile, after the death of her husband, Guo Xiaotian, Li Ping was rescued by Mongolian soldiers and brought to their country. Thus, in the harsh deserts of Mongolia, Guo Xiao Tian's son, Guo Jing was born and raised. The second part of the story focuses on the events that both of their sons underwent. Guo Jing (郭靖), Guo Xiao Tian's son grew up in Mongolia, under the protection of Genghis Khan. Yang Kang (楊康), on the other hand, grew up as a prince in the Jin Empire. While still a little boy growing up in Mongolia, Guo Jing saves a prominent Mongolian general, Jebe (哲別) from Genghis Khan. This event led to his subsequent tutelage under Jebe and his closeness with the Khan and his family. His childhood friend was Genghis' son, Tolui (托雷) and daughter, Hua Zheng (華箏). Later, Guo Jing became a disciple of the Jiangnan Qi Guai (江南七怪). On the night the six-year-old Guo Jing became Jiangnan Qi Guai's disciple, Mei Chaofeng (梅超風) was seen practicing Nine Yin White Bone Claw (九陰白骨爪). She had previously blinded Ke Zhen'e and murdered his older brother. As the Jiangnan Qi Guai had a serious fight with her, she summoned her husband, Chen Xuanfeng (陳玄風) to support her. Chen Xuanfeng gave Zhang A'Sheng, one of the Jiangnan Qi Guai, a lethal hit with Heart-Destroying Palm (摧心掌). He held up the little Guo Jing, trying to threaten the Jiangnan Qi Guai, but the frightened Guo Jing took out the dagger carved with Yang Kang's name, stabbed Chen Xuanfeng in the navel, killing him. Yang Kang, on the other hand, grew up in luxury and great comfort in the royal court of Jin. His step-father, Wanyan Honglie loved his mother so much that the affections he had for the mother was also transferred to the son. Yang Kang's teacher was the Taoist Qiu Chuji who taught him the martial arts of the Quan Zhen Sect (全真教). Unknown to both, Jiangnan Qi Guai leader, Ke Zhen'e had previously made a bet with Qiu Chuji that they would teach both boys martial arts and let them duel upon reaching the age of eighteen. Even though Qiu Chuji was a noble patriot, his tutelage of Yang Kang was motivated by competitiveness to win the bet. Yang Kang grew up with decent martial arts skills and a mastery of cunningness, from being raised by Wanyan Honglie. Mei Chaofeng, who was blinded in that battle, later attempted to avenge her husband. Her subsequent attacks on Yang Kang led her to realize that she had the wrong boy. She later became a master to Yang Kang, teaching him the deadly Nine Yin White Bone Claw. Yang Kang arranged the human sacrifices needed for Mei to perfect her Nine Yin White Bone Claw. As both reached the age of eighteen, they both travelled to the Central Plains, where both would finally meet... Chapters In the 3rd edition of the novel, there are forty chapters, which are listed below listed Simplified Chinese with English Translations. # 风雪惊变 Incident in the Blizzard # 江南七怪 Seven Freaks of the South # 大漠风沙 The Winds of the Steppes # 黑风双煞 Dark Winds' Twin Killers # 弯弓射雕 Crooked Bow Shooting Condors # 崖顶疑阵 Mysterious Happenings at the Cliff's Summit # 比武招亲 Joust for a Spouse # 各显神通 Each Demonstrating His Skill # 铁枪破犁 The Broken Spear # 冤家聚头 Gathering of the Foes # 长春服输 Changchun Admits Defeat # 亢龙有悔 The Proud Dragon Repents # 五湖废人 The Crippled # 桃花岛主 The Lord of Peach Blossom Island # 神龙摆尾 The Dragon sways its Tail # 九阴真经 Arts of the Nine Negations # 双手互搏 Technique of Ambidexterity # 三道试题 3 Test Questions # 洪涛群鲨 Great Waves of Sharks # 窜改经文 Doctoring the Scripture # 千钧巨岩 Heavy Weight of 1000 Jun Rock # 骑鲨遨游 Roaming with the Sharks # 大闹禁宫 Disturbing the Forbidden Palace # 密室疗伤 Healing in the Secret Room # 荒村野店 Desolated Inn in the Village # 新盟旧约 New Allies, Old Stipulations # 轩辕台前 Pavilion's Platform # 铁掌峰顶 Peak of Mt. Iron Palm # 黑沼隐女 The Lady Beyond Black Marsh Pit # 一灯大师 Reverend Monk Yi Deng # 鸯鸳锦帕 Mandarin Duck Handkerchief # 湍江险滩 Dangerous Shore Beyond the Rushing River # 来日大难 Upcoming Disaster # 岛上巨变 Radical Changes on the Island # 铁枪庙中 In the Temple of the Spear # 大军西征 The West Expedition # 从天而降 Descending from the Sky # 锦囊密令 Secret Order Within the Brocade # 是非善恶 Distinguishing Good & Evil # 华山论剑 Duel on Mount Hua Characters Protagonists Guo Jing Huang Rong Mu Nianci Antagonists Yang Kang Ouyang Ke Qiu Qianren Qiu Qianzhang Wanyan Honglie Chen Xuanfeng Mei Chaofeng Five Greats Central Divinity Wang Chongyang East Heretic Huang Yaoshi West Poison Ouyang Feng South Emperor Duan Zhixing North Beggar Hong Qigong The Seven Freaks of Jiangnan (江南七怪) Flying Bat Ke Zhen'e Magic Hands Scholar Zhu Cong Horse Deity Han Baoju South Mountain Woodchopper Nan Xiren Smiling Buddha Zhang Ahsheng Hidden Hero of the Busy City Quan Jinfa Yue Sword Maiden Han Xiaoying Seven Masters of Quanzhen Ma Yu Tan Chuduan Liu Chuxuan Qiu Chuji Wang Chuyi Hao Datong Sun Bu'er Adaptations TV Series Category:Wuxia Novels Category:Jin Yong Novels Category:Condor Trilogy